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EcoReport is written and edited by Evelyn Kanter, a professional journalist with a lifetime of experience a magazine and newspaper writer and photographer, radio and television news producer and reporter, and guidebook author and editor -- all focusing on travel, automotive, lifestyle, the environment, and your rights as a consumer.
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 Quebec Winter Carnival 2011 is watched over by mascot Bonhomme The world’s largest winter carnival is the annual Quebec Winter Carnival, in the heart of Old Quebec. It is 17 days of fun in the snow, from January 28 to February 13, 2011.
The daily schedule of festivities includes parades, fireworks, slide runs, a giant foot ball game, concerts, snow sculptures, horse-drawn sleigh rides, dogsled rides, an Ice Tower, ice skating, ice fishing, and fun and games for children.
Everything is watched over the carnival mascot, a large white friendly snowman who seems to appear everywhere at once, named Bonhomme. He is always smiling, dressed in a red stocking cap and a colorful sash around his waist, his chest decorated with round black buttons. Of course there’s a person inside the costume, welcoming you both in French and in English, the dual languages of Quebec.
 Fairmont Chateau Frontenac dominates the Quebec skyline One of the most popular carnival events is a canoe race on the St. Lawrence River. Some years the river is frozen solid, and teams pull their wooden canoes over the ice instead of paddling them through the water. The craziest activity at the Quebec Winter Carnival is the snow bath, in which a 100 or so party hearty participants strip down to their bathing suits and roll around in the snow. Of course, snowball fights have been known to erupt.
Quebec City is one of the most beautiful cities in North America, a taste of Europe on the East Coast. Its skyline is dominated by the Fairmont Chateau Frontenac, a historic, castle-like wonder. The entire Fairmont chain, you should know, is an industry leader in green hotel initiatives, including recycling kitchen grease for bio-diesel.
 Munich Oktoberfest celebrates 200 years in 2010 Germany is justifiably famous for its great beer and wine festivals, which start in late summer or early fall and focus on regional wines, beers, and culinary specialties. The most famous is the Munich Oktoberfest, the world’s oldest and largest beer festival , which celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2010. Festival dates this year are September 18 to October 4.
The Munich Oktoberfest turns the city into party central. Dozens of huge tents serve food, beer and entertainment to thousands of people each night, and a sprawling midway lures visitors to Ferris wheels and other rides. Each of Bavaria’s beer breweries has its own tent and serves only its own beer, and of the beer tents serve tons of wurst, roast pig and chicken nightly, and every tent features an oompah band.
 World's largest Oktoberfest beer festivals are in Munich and Stuttgart Every few minutes, the band plays a rendition of the “Prosit” drinking song, and everybody stops chatting or eating or drinking to stand up and sing while waving their beer mugs in unison. It’s tough to resist.
I’ll admit — I’ve been there, and I’ve done that. And, I never ceased to be amazed at the strength of the waiters and waitresses who thread their way through the crowds while juggling up to eight one-liter mugs without spilling a drop. You’ll have the most fun if you pick one tent and stay there for the evening, rather than tent-hopping.
 Visit Rhinebeck, NY historic mansions, restaurants and antique shops after the Chelsea Clinton wedding It will take a while for Rhinebeck, New York, to return to normal, now that it’s been in the world spotlight for the wedding of Chelsea Clinton to Mark Mezvinsky. But Rhinebeck has been around since the 1600s, and it will survive, and will return to being a charming, tranquil place that welcomes visitors. Rhinebeck’s location less than two hours from New York City makes it a popular weekend getaway. There’s something for everybody, from history to food and wine, outdoor activities and, of course, shopping.
Before the Clintons, Rhinebeck’s most famous guest was George Washington, who visited Revolutionary War volunteer soldiers training on the field next to The Beekman Arms, the white clapboard building you saw behind so many TV reporters covering the Chelsea Clinton Wedding . The inn opened in 1766, and claims to be the oldest continuously operating inn in America.
Even if you don’t stay here overnight, it’s worth wandering around the lobby to check out the historic documents that decorate the walls. My own favorite is a page from an 1876 guest registration, when the room rate was two dollars a night. George Washington slept here. So did Franklin Delano Roosevelt, whose home, in nearby Hyde Park, is, of course, the FDR Home, Library and Museum, operated by the National Park Service.
Another must-see in Rhinebeck is Wilderstein Preservation, one of the great Hudson Valley mansions that make this area a fascinating place to visit. Three generations of the Suckley family lived here for more than 100 years. Interiors were designed by Joseph Burr Tiffany, who included some stained glass windows made by his cousin, Louis Comfort Tiffany. The gardens were designed by Calvert Vaux, who also landscaped Central Park in New York City. The Suckley family was distant cousins of the Roosevelts.
 Macy's Annual July Fourth Fireworks in NYC is largest in US The Fourth of July and fireworks displays go together like hot dogs and mustard, kids and ice cream. Here are five of the best places in the United States to watch Fourth of July fireworks:
New York City — The biggest and best, of course, is the annual Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks display. This year again, the pyrotechnics are from barges parked in the Hudson River, near the Statue of Liberty, who will be basking in the glow of 40,000 shells in a 26-minute display synchronized to music. A special symphony of patriotic music, Broadway show tunes and other favorites is being provided by The New York Pops orchestra, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir as well as a capella, gospel, choral groups and barbershop quartets. There’s a FREE download of the music on the Macy’s website. The show is being televised by NBC at 9 p.m. EST, which will be broadcasting from the brand new cruise ship Norwegian Epic, berthed in the Hudson River.
Jack Nicholson and Dennis Hopper, two of the stars of the iconic 1969 "Easy Rider" film, in March 2010
In May 2009, exactly one year before Dennis Hopper passed away from the ravages of cancer, he was in Taos, New Mexico, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the movie “Easy Rider”, where much [...]
 American Graffiti Sixties Car and Concert Festival in London, Ontario, Canada Rev up your engines and head for the Sixties in London — the one in Ontario, Canada, not the one in England. The Seventh Annual Fleetwood Country Cruize on June 4th and 5th celebrates the iconic coming-of-age 1973 film “American Graffiti”. Be whisked back decades at a recreation of Mel’s Diner with Candy Clark, Bo Hopkins, Cindy Williams, Lynne Stewart, Paul Le Mat, Charles Martin Smith, Be whisked back decades in time at a 40- foot drive-in movie screen that will be showing what else but the American Graffiti film. There’s also a kick-off dance under the big top and a rock ‘n’ roll concert featuring Sixties stars Lou Christie, followed by Brooklyn Bridge.
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Where’s Evelyn? January 2012
Israel
December 2011
Courcheval, France
November 2011
New Zealand
Los Angeles Auto Show
October 2011
Stuttgart, Black Forest
September 2011
Saratoga, NY
June 2011
Pittsburgh
Washington, DC
Niagara Falls
Hershey, Penna
PRSA Travel & Tourism Conf.
San Antonio, Speaker
April 2011
Fiji Islands, Los Angeles
ASJA Conference, NYC
Panelist on Writing Apps
March 2011
Anchorage, Alaska
Skiing at Alyeska
February 2011
Vancouver Island,
Vancouver, Whistler
Where Evelyn Was in 2010
New Car Launches
Detroit, Nashville,
San Francisco, Miami
Los Angeles Auto Show
Porsche Test Track, Leipzig
Travel Destinations
Germany -- Munich,
Dresden, Leipzig, Berlin
Norwegian Epic
Inaugural Cruise
Cuba--Havana,
Cienfuegos, Trinidad,
Santa Clara
Dubai
Thailand --
Bangkok, Chang Mai
Beaver Creek, Colorado
Speaking Engagements
Newport, R. I.
Speaker, SATW Meeting
Las Vegas, Speaker
Alternative Fuel Conference
Book Expo America, NYC
Author Book Signing
Peaceful Places NYC
My new travel guidebook
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